Okay, so a few years ago lots and lots of burners had flat tires on 447 near empire and, rumor had it, the people at the empire gas station had put tacks in the road so they could sell tires. I didn't necessarily believe this rumor, however, this DID happen (which makes me believe that rumor might have been true):

We pull into empire gas at 11:30pm on Sunday night. Before I even open my door, the attendant has the gas hose in my vehicle and he's already pumping the gas. He says to me, "You lost your gas cap." What? "You pulled in without a gas cap, you must have lost it". I think back to the last gas stop. I had pumped the gas and I specifically remembered having put it back on. I'm a bit suspicious but I have to pee really bad.

While I'm gone, my partner asks him if he has any spare gas caps. He says, "Sure, people leave them here all the time. I'll sell you one for 10 bucks." He leaves and returns with 8 or nine gas caps and asks my partner which one he wants. He says he'll take whatever fits. So they start trying on gas caps and finally one of them fits.

I come back, hear we have a new gas cap and we leave. As we're driving down the road, I start thinking this through. I remember that we had a little leash on our gas cap and there is just no way we could have lost it. I become certain that the guy pulled it off. So we pull our caravan of folks over to the side of the road, get a flashlight and take a look at the gas cap. Sure enough, as I had come to believe would be the case, our original gas cap was on the vehicle. The guy had sold us our own cap!

On one hand I find this extremely humorous. But on the other hand, I am enraged that he is probably doing this to many people and making big bucks over the week by making us look like fools.

So here is what I want to know:

1. Did this happen to anyone else?

2. Any good ideas for revenge?

3. How do you think I should handle it at this point?

Live as if everyone loves you and thinks you look great. Dance as if no one is watching.

Cool! You were a great camp and really enjoyed you guys! Thanks for putting up with our loudness!

In regards to the Empire garage. You should make some signs and post them along your route to BRC next year telling people to beware of the empire garage. Maybe even make some flyers with your experience printed on it. Then place a flyer stand near the garage where people will be but far enough away that the garage won't notice for some time.

Getting the word out is the best revenge. People need to be aware in order to prevent these situations. When the word starts spreading and finally makes it's way back to the garage, hopefully they will realize they will need to change their ways.

Otherwise, with the rate Burning Man is growing along with more and more events taking place out there, it's just a matter of time before the competition starts rolling in.

mars wrote:That somebody might have been me or someone from my camp. We were at 8:30 and Corvair. You?

Holy small world! Yup, 8:30 and Corvair for me too! We had the small red, white, and blue mutant vehicle along with a big white van, red and white VW camper bus.

Hey, far out! Did the VW bus have brewer art on the nose and a shower set up on the roof? We were camped on 8:30 between Bonneville and Corvair in a silver Ford van; I think we were your neighbor's neighbor.

"The Red Baron is smart.. He never spends the whole night dancing and drinking root beer.. "-The WWI Flying Ace

Don't fuck around.
This is criminal.
It probably extends to destroying engines and tens of thousands in theft and fraud.
Call the police, the sheriff, the DA and the media in the area.
Also chambers of commerce, local government, etc.
And contact the burning man office and legal groups.
And I would contact every attorney in the area (sometimes the best revenge). Someone may already be suing them.
You can bet someone will eventually.

And keep reminding everyone.
Try to get a warning in Jackrabbit.

Remind me by email and I'll try to post signs in october as I go through.
Maybe I could spread some flyers around too?

[quote="ZaphodBurner"][quote="Kenny Z"][quote="mars"]That somebody might have been me or someone from my camp. We were at 8:30 and Corvair. You?[/quote]

Holy small world! Yup, 8:30 and Corvair for me too! We had the small red, white, and blue mutant vehicle along with a big white van, red and white VW camper bus.

[/quote]

Hey, far out! Did the VW bus have brewer art on the nose and a shower set up on the roof? We were camped on 8:30 between Bonneville and Corvair in a silver Ford van; I think we were your neighbor's neighbor.[/quote]

Yeah, yeah! That was me! We had some good neighbors this year! Were you the guys who made the soda? That cream soda ruled. I hope you got to get some of our carne asada.

Oh and Mars, good job calling and making a report. Hopefully others that got scammed will do the same.

I wonder if this is the same gas station that more than half the pumps were not accepting credit cards so you had to go inside and wait in this stupid ass long line.. probably just a ploy to get you inside the store so you might buy snacks.

We got screwed by the Empire station as well. Our trailer had a blowout and the Empire station said they had a similar size tired to sell us. They charged $40 but said they couldn't mount the tire (despite the fact that the mounting equipment was right there) and that I'd have to go to Gerlach to get it mounted.

I was in stress mode and didn't check the tire, which I should have done. When we got it to Gerlach they showed us a massive rip in the side wall. Obviously this was why the Empire station wouldn't mount it for us.

I pull out of my yard for the trip to BM with "everything" I need.. This includes gas a munchies.. I avoid small towns other than passing through.. On the return trip I gas up in larger citys to avoid the problems in this thread.. If I stallout completely, I have road service that I pay one hell of a lot for..

I would suggest you all follow in my foot steps..

Oh! This includes pre payed Life Flight.. Also pre payed body disposal..

I called the owner of the store. She was unapologetic and defensive. She asked me if I had a receipt to prove I paid $10 for a gas cap. Like, right, the guy is going to scam me and then give me a receipt to prove it!

Anyway, as a result of her unfriendly attitude, I just finished filling out a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. They will contact her within 48 hrs.

Interesting side note: she told me she had heard about my story already. At first I thought she meant this had happened to other people as well, but apparently, she heard my exact story, about me, not someone else.

So i guess my "community education" campaign is working!

Live as if everyone loves you and thinks you look great. Dance as if no one is watching.

The economies of Gerlach and Empire focus on gypsum mining near Empire, tourism in the nearby Black Rock Desert, and hunting. Empire is the classic company town of the United States Gypsum Corporation (USG). All residents of Empire work for USG and USG owns the properties and buildings. The Empire gypsum mine is the longest continually operating mine in the US. Most mines were shut down during WWII as resources were diverted to the war. For some reason it was determined gypsum was 'essential' and this one never closed. The town has a church, a public pool, a 9-hole golf course, a post office (89405), and Empire Airport for light planes. There is also a day care facility for the employees of Empire, and a convenience store with a gas station -- the only store for more than 50 miles (80 km). Gas is generally about 40 cents per gallon cheaper at the Empire store versus the Shell station in Gerlach, however the Shell station is 24/7 for credit card users and the Empire store has been known to scam people by selling unusable tires and stealing your gas caps so you'll buy one from them.

Official burning man llc souvenirs.
Vintage ashes from the burns.
The plastic glow-in-the-dark Larry Harvey for your dashboard.
Maybe mass produced jewelry made out of crap left after the man burns?
And, of course, smoke from the various burns.